Introduction:
Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (TOKYO: 4519) will invest 50 billion yen to construct new bio APIs and injection buildings at the Utsunomiya Plant, strengthening its manufacturing capabilities.
Features:
The first facility, UT3, will be dedicated to the manufacturing of bio-APIs from the clinical development stage to initial commercial production.
UT3 will focus on middle to later-stage manufacturing of investigational drugs, including Phase 1 and 2 projects, to strengthen the in-house production foundation.
It will implement continuous production functions, including the introduction of perfusion culture, to enhance the efficiency of biopharmaceutical manufacturing.
The second facility, UTA, will be a new injection building supporting the formulation of complex in-house antibody projects.
UTA will utilize robotics for various container use and to improve productivity, enabling high-mix, low-volume manufacturing.
The manufacturing facilities aim to achieve a rapid launch of in-house products and provide a competitive advantage.
Environmental burden reduction initiatives, such as chlorofluorocarbon-free and energy-saving design, will be promoted in the new facilities.
The buildings will adopt digital infrastructure and advanced technologies for efficient operations, aligned with the SPIRITS project.
Cost-competitive smart factories will be realized through the use of robotics and advanced automation technologies.
Construction plan of UT3: Start of construction January 2024, Completion of building May 2026, Start of operation October 2026
Construction plan of UTA: Start of construction January 2024, Completion of building November 2025, Start of operation March 2026
Specifications:
Name: Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
Type: Expansion
Year: 2026
